At 09:50 PM 11/29/97 -0000, you wrote:
>Walt Trefry wrote:
>
>" I have an 82 yr. old friend who is fascinated by the pheasants in her
> backyard. She has been trying to find a book or section of a book that
> tells her something about this beautiful bird. So far no luck. Does
> anyone in Tweeterland have any suggestions that I can give to this lovely
> lady? "
>
>Hi Walt,
>
>I grew up SE of Albany, Oregon - about 8 miles from where Judge Denny made
the first successful release of this species in the U.S. of A. The Denny
Elementary School, near Lebanon, Oregon, used to have a mural of a pair of
pheasants across the front of the building when I was a kid (1960s-70s). I
remember pheasants being a lot more plentiful then than now, not to mention
that the local school district used to maintain this wonderful painting....
>
>I quote from Gabrielson and Jewett (1940, Birds of Oregon):
>
>"The Ring-necked Pheasant, China Pheasant, Denny Pheasant, or Chink, was
first shipped from China to Oregon in 1880, but the entire shipment of 70
birds died before reaching Portland. Undiscouraged, Judge O.N. Denny, then
United States Consul General at Shanghai, sent 100 birds the following
year, which were released in the Willamette Valley. They established
themselves there and increased at an amazing rate for a number of years,
only to decrease again later until at present, despite the continued
release of new birds, they occur only in small numbers compared to former
years. Meanwhile, they have been transplanted into all parts of the State
and have evidently found the counties about the base of the Blue Mountains
most to their liking...."
>
>Gabrielson et al. (1953 - Birds of Washington) states:
>
>"Ring-necked or China pheasants were introduced into the State of
Washington by the private effort of Judge O.N. Denny of Oregon about 1883,
and they have done well ever since. The first open [hunting] season in the
state was in 1903. The species thrives best in the irrigated valleys of
eastern Washington and on several islands in the Sound country, and is
found to be fairly plentiful in nearly every county in the state.
>
>"The importation into the Northwest of the Chinese pheasant, through the
persistence of Judge Denny, marked an important point in the history of
game conditions in the region. The first shipment, destined for Oregon,
was received at Olympia probably in 1881 (Merriam, 1889: 485; Palmer and
Oldys, 1904: 7; Shaw 1908: 12), 15 birds reaching Portland alive. The
following year 35 additional Chinese pheasants were successfully brought in
and liberated in Oregon. About 2 years later (Shaw, 1908: 14) a shipment
of some 90 birds, principally silver and copper pheasants, but including
some Chinese and golden pheasants, was made by Judge Denny, the lot being
turned over to the Rod and Gun Club of Portland, and some of the birds, at
least, being liberated on Protection Island, Washington, where the Chinese
pheasants became abundant. The earliest published reference to the species
in Washington appears to be that of O.B. Johnson (1885: 596) who refers to
the "Mongolian" pheasant as an introduced bird occurring and breeding in
western Washington. Bendire (1886: 145), while stationed at Fort (now
Port) Townsend, wrote that the Chinese or Mongolian pheasant had already
been introduced in the Territory, but was yet confined to Protection
Island, although some had been seen on the mainland. In 1889, George S
Johns of Kalama wrote Dr. C Hart Merriam of the U.S. Biological Survey that
Chinese pheasants were abundant and on the increase in that locality. The
same year Dr. Merriam summarized available information regarding the
introduction and condition of the various introduced species.
>
>The "classic" book on pheasants has always been Delacour's (1951)
"Pheasants of the world" (Chas Scribner's Sons, New York, 347pp). I
believe that Paul Johnsgard has also put out a more recent volume on this
group of birds, but do not have the citation. Johnsgard published through
the University of Nebraska Press.
>
>Hope this helps.
>
>Jon. Anderson
>Olympia, Washington
>festuca at olywa.net
>


Hey! Anybody want to have a surprise if they happen to be in the Puyallup
area should stop by the Bird Feeder (a store on South Hill) and take a
gander at the pheasant that showed up and according to Sally has hung
around for a number of weeks. I stopped by with Elaine to help her pick up
some of the local birds for her list. Thought I saw a Hairy Woodpecker
working on a straw-colored stump. Drew her attention to it and realized
quite quickly it was a pheasant preeening. A Reeve's Pheasant! The same
pheasant that is featured on Johnsgard's "Pheasants of the World"
(Available from the King County Library System BTW). From where I was
standing I was looking at the black and white head and it superficially
resembled a woodpecker working on rotten wood. Certainly hadn't expected
to see a Chinese/Mongolian bird in Washington. Quite obviously an escapee.
Wow, what a tail!

Sally has a lot of feeders currently occupied by Goldfinches in winter garb
in great quantity. Numbers of the other expected feeder birds are viewable
at close quarters.

Bob
taylorrt at geocities.com